Virginia may be for lovers. But Gloucester and Mathews are for lovers of Virginia.
While our communities may not have the big attractions of a Virginia Beach, Colonial Williamsburg or Busch Gardens, what we do offer is a chance to experience small-town Tidewater Virginia life—with its traditional Court House areas, great local seafood, unique shopping experiences, scenic vistas, fishing and fun on the water and our warm, friendly people.
Tourism is big business in the commonwealth. In 2010, tourism generated $19 billion in revenue, supported more than 204,000 jobs and provided $1.3 billion in state and local tax revenue, according to the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Virginia ranks eighth in the nation in terms of domestic travelers.
May 5-13 is National Tourism Week, marking the unofficial start of the summer vacation season. Families with school-age children are busy mapping out their trips, looking to discover something new and fun. With volatile gas prices and a struggling economy, vacationers are looking closer to home for a place to spend their precious travel dollars. Eco-tourists are looking for places that offer things like kayaking and cycling. Older couples may want to get off the beaten path, relax in a nice bed-and-breakfast and soak up the local culture. All of that should translate into more visitors to our area, and more business for our restaurants and shops.
We’re perfectly situated close to a number of great attractions—from the historic sites of Yorktown, Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg to the family fun destinations of Busch Gardens, Water Country USA and Virginia Beach—making a stop in Gloucester or Mathews an ideal day trip. And the visitor centers in Gloucester and Mathews are well equipped to help tourists find things to do and places to eat and stay.
Next weekend, Mathews will welcome cycling enthusiasts from across the country for the 14th annual Tour de Chesapeake. In a bit of home-town ingenuity, two local organizations—the Mathews Land Conservancy and the Mathews Visitor Center—have taken over from Bike Virginia in hosting this event.
If we are going to continue to grow our tourism base, this is the kind of thing we need to keep doing. This is a great destination; we just need to let the rest of the world know it.